I am never sure if the whole overwhelming focus on a gay athlete is overall positive or negative. I guess at the very least, it gets conversation going among a group of people that might not normally have a real conversation about it. On the Mountain West conference message board there is a huge thread on homosexuality all of a sudden. And this is a conference with Mormons, Cowboys and Air Force Cadets. I am still stunned on many of the perceptions and outright hate people still have but we all know that I guess. Have any of your conference, pro or collegiate message boards been discussing this?

This is the Mountain West link. Interesting reading to say the least.

Mountain West Board

I visited the board. Are the writers university students? If so they need to spend some more time in class and learn something about people and then get out and visit the big wide world out there. Some of their opinions seem very provincial to say the least. I would have expected younger people to be more open and accepting.
I am always a bit surprised that guys at what ever level of athletic competition assume that everyone in the locker room with them is straight and that if a gay man was in there he would be cruised and hit on. Get over yourselves guys, not all of you are that attractive to begin with.

Outsports is my favorite message board!

Yes mostly university students or graduates ... but remember three of the school in the Mountain West are Wyoming, BYU and the Air Force Academy. Not exactly free thinking institutions. Not a knock on any of the students or our boys in the miltary of course... just more conservative campuses.

This is one of my favorites quotes from one free-thinking Ute...

I think most gay guys are fairly discreet about their intentions, especially with today's standards... I think this is where most men have issues... They think every gay guy is out to get them in a sexual way.

Most gay guys are cream puffs and when confronted by a dominant male back down...

Oops I meant second favorite board of course

Keep in mind that the haters are the ones who scream the most and loudest.

There may still be such a thing as a silent majority that we may not be hearing from that thinks the whole thing is no big deal, and have little problem with gays having equal rights, including the right to be out on the job.

It's surprising that how open and accepting most university students are (in my experience) nowadays. Most people I come out to react in about the same way "oh, okay" and move on to another subject.

Just started talking about it at StraightActing.net:

http://straightacting.net/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=6360

As I posted in the main Amaechi thread, one of the Badger boards went a bit homophobic after the Hardaway remarks -- two or three guys anyways. However, when the earlier news about Amaechi's book came out, the bulk of the posts were actually of the "who cares?" variety.

Nothing on the Marquette board at all -- must be a jesuit thing? (ooops ... did I just badmouth religion? ). About a month ago one of the major posters over there said there were no gays at Marquette when he attended. yeah, right ... musta been before or after my bf was there

And the Milwaukee Journal did have an online poll: If one of the Bucks were gay, would you encourage him to admit it publicly? . Results so far: 66% No -- 34% Yes

That's an odd poll, because it really doesn't tell you anything about people's attitudes except what we already know: That people THINK sports are this terribly anti-gay establishment.

The question is worded so as to encourage a negative response.

If it had been phrased as "Would you encourage him to acknowledge it", which implies honesty, instead of "admit it", which implies guilt and shame, I have no doubt the results would have been different.

Very good point ... it's also amazing at how many people feel the need to keep saying well I think "it's wrong" but I don't hate gays. As to protect their manhood or moralhood. It's like saying I think water is wrong.

I do have a favorite quote from a Wyoming poster on the Mountain West Board. He said, "smoking pole is like smoking cigarettes - everyone has a right to do it but that doesn't mean society has to accept it." What a comparison. Just made me laugh.